- Sweep or vacuum regularly so abrasive dirt won’t scratch the finish.
- Wipe up any spilled liquid quickly from your floor.
- Watch out for high heels—they are hardwood flooring’s worst enemy after sand and water—and some kinds of sports footwear, particularly if they’re worn or damaged.
- Put mats outside and inside entrances. This will prevent the build-up of sand and dirt on the floor.
- Put mats in front of the kitchen sink, the dishwasher, and all kitchen work stations to protect your floor from dropped utensils and spills of water, detergent, and food.
- Avoid mats with rubber or other dense backing that prevents airflow and traps abrasive dirt and moisture.
- Attach felt pads to the feet of all furniture to make it easier to move and prevent scratches. Keep the pads clean and replace if damaged.
- Replace plastic casters with wide rubber or soft polyurethane casters.
- Protect the floor when moving furniture. Use a mat turned upside down with a slightly smaller piece of plywood on top of it. Place furniture on top and slide it.
- Maintain humidity levels between 40 and 50%, for your own health as well as for the protection of your floor and wooden furniture.
- Use a hygrometer [relative humidity indicator] to check moisture content in the air to ensure that relative humidity is within the recommended range.
- Avoid exposing your floor to sunlight and intense artificial light, which can cause wood to change color. This is a completely normal and natural phenomenon. The lighter the wood, the more pronounced the change will be.
- Move your carpets and furniture occasionally and use a minimum number of light sources to keep color changes uniform.
Things to avoid:
- Do not pour cleaner directly on the floor.
- Do not use a wet mop that can leave excess water behind.
- Never use floor wax, oil-based detergent, or any other household cleaner on your floor. These products can damage the finish and leave a greasy film that makes your floor slippery, difficult to maintain, and impossible to refinish without deep sanding and complete revarnishing.
- Do not raise or lower the temperature of a radiant heating system by more than 2.8°C [5°F] per day when turning the system on or off.